WOOLWORTHS CUSTOMERS HELP TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO EMTHONJENI CHILDREN

August 1, 2007

The Woolworths Trust has contributed funds to support Heartbeat’s Orphaned and Vulnerable Children project in the impoverished community of Emthonjeni in Mpumalanga.
Heartbeat is a non profit organisation working in 14 communities across seven provinces to assist almost 5000 children. Their beneficiaries include orphans living in child-headed and granny-headed households, as well as vulnerable children living with terminally-ill parents and caregivers.
Since 2000, Heartbeat has been rolling out a community-based child care model that has been recognised by the Gauteng Department of Social Development as a Best Practice model. This model includes frequent home visits by trained child care workers, child participation in support groups and after-care centres, as well as the provision of monthly food parcels and school uniforms.
Having supported Heartbeat with donations of surplus clothing in the past, The Woolworths Trust has now made a R200 000 donation to Heartbeat‘s Emthonjeni Project which assists 138 children. The money was raised from Woolworths’ contributions when World of Difference customers, who nominated The Woolworths Trust as their beneficiary, swiped their cards at till-points.
Chairman of The Woolworths Trust, Brian Frost comments: “Community-based care of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children is one of the main focus areas of The Trust’s work. We thank those World of Difference customers for nominating The Woolworths Trust as their beneficiary so that we are able to make this donation to Heartbeat. We are delighted to be able to involve our customers in supporting under-resourced communities in their efforts to take good care of children.”
Says Dr Sunette Pienaar, Heartbeat’s founder and chairperson, “We are most grateful to the Woolworths Trust and its participating World of Difference customers for selecting Heartbeat as its beneficiary. Their generosity will allow the orphans and vulnerable children of Emthonjeni to grow up in a secure, supportive environment. This includes taking care of basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter; education; providing psycho-social support through trained mentors; and ensuring their rights are met.”
ENDS
Issued on behalf of: The Woolworths Trust
Issued by: liquidlingo Communications
Contact: Tanya Pangalele
+27 21 424 1530
tanya@liquidlingo.co.za

The Woolworths Trust has contributed funds to support Heartbeat’s Orphaned and Vulnerable Children project in the impoverished community of Emthonjeni in Mpumalanga.